Field Trips
by Phoenix Falconer
Summary: Reese and Taylor, with a little Joss Carter! What's not to love? One-shot!


Inspired by Episode 19, of course. I just love the overprotective fatherly instincts Reese has towards Detective Carter's son. Reminds me a bit of my own father, who sees it as a necessity that I know how to operate almost every legal gun a US citizen can own on the planet.

I was skeptical about posting this but I figured, hey, it's just for fun! Why not? So here we go! (not beta'd)

* * *

"Listen, Taylor," Carter says as soon as she gets home. "You can't talk to anyone about John. Okay? Whatever someone says, whatever someone does to you or me, you can't tell anybody about him."

"Why?" Taylor asks, confused. "John's a great guy. Why can't I tell anyone?"

"He's a secret, Taylor," Carter answers sternly. "There are people...there are many people who want to kill him. No matter who talks to you or whatever they threaten, you can't tell them anything, okay?"

"But Mom-"

"No, Taylor, I'm serious. Whatever someone says or threatens-even if they kidnap me, you can't _say a_ word. Because I promise you, John will take care of the problem...the way he rescued you. Okay, sweetie?"

"Don't call me that, and okay..." he starts to walk away, shaking his head. "Mom, you have some weird friends."

"I know, sweetie," she mutters back, rubbing her temples. He doesn't bother to correct her.

"Wait, Taylor!" He stops and turns around.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"I love you."

He walks back to her and hugs her. "Thanks, Mom. I love you too."

* * *

Carter looks at her phone. "TAYLOR," it says. She excuses herself from Fusco's company and answers it. "Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah, Taylor? What is it? Everything alright?" Since he was kidnapped by Elias' people, she's been on the hyperalert.

"Yeah, Mom, everything's fine. Hey, John's here, he said he wanted to take me somewhere. Can I go with him?"

"What?" She asks, alarmed. "Put him on the phone."

It's his seductive voice she hears next. "Detective," he acknowledges.

"What are you doing, John?" she says warily.

"We're going a field trip. I promise I'll get him back safely, and he'll be better able to protect himself. It's an educational learning experience, he'll learn a lot more than he learned in this week of school."

"Unless you can teach him algebra, no, John. I mean it. Bring him to my apartment now."

"When do you get back?"

"Around six, why?"

The line goes dead. Carter curses and tries to call both of them. Neither are picking up.

* * *

"What'd she say?" Taylor asks as Reese hands him the phone.

"She said we have until six."

"Awesome!" Taylor exclaims, getting into the passenger side of Reese's car. "Where're we going?"

"First to meet with Harold, to teach you some algebra."

"What?" Taylor says indignantly. "I thought-"

Reese cuts him off again. "Then I thought we could have some fun at a private shooting range. Ever shot a gun before?"

"No," Taylor says. "I've held my mom's gun and she's showed me how to load it and stuff, but I've never actually shot one."

"Well, today you're going to learn to shoot _several._"

"Awesome, man!"

* * *

"Taylor really likes you," Carter observes after she'd finished yelling at both Reese and Taylor for keeping her waiting in terror until 6:07 PM. She'd sent Taylor to his room to work on an English essay so she could speak to Reese in private.

"He's smart," Reese answers to that. "You could take a tip from him."

Carter freezes, trying to decipher what Reese had just said. Is he really trying to flirt with her? What kind of game was he playing?

"Relax, Detective," Reese says impatiently. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant that you should consider working with me again."

She takes a deep breath and shakes her head, as if trying to clear it. "What _did _you do with Taylor?"

"He should ace his next algebra test. Actually, the final too. Harold took it upon himself to tutor Taylor, and within forty minutes with Harold, he was doing brilliantly."

"Really."

"No, really, Detective," Reese answers earnestly. "And then I _might _have taught him how to use a standard issue handgun." He expects her to explode at this, but instead she sighs.

"Better sooner than later after what happened, I suppose," she answers, walking into the kitchen. "Want something to drink?"

"Water, please," Reese answers. "He was a natural. I threw some moving targets for him, he had about 30% accuracy with moving targets, and 45% with still targets. Excellent for his first time with a Glock. I think my accuracy the first time I used a handgun was something like 2%."

"Just so long as you don't teach him the five different ways of killing someone with a pencil, I don't mind if you want to pick him up for these field trips."

Reese glances away, almost as if embarassed.

"_You did not."_

"Yes he did!" Taylor gleeful voice comes from the hallway, evidently having listened to their conversation.

* * *

"So what did John teach you this time?" Carter asks, half amused at the way Taylor and Reese step into her apartment. It looks like Reese is actually somewhat limping, although just barely. She hadn't even seen him limping after being shot by snow.

"Some self-defense," Taylor replies nonchalantly. "Smells good. What's for dinner?"

"Pad Thai," she answers. Taylor drops his backpack and runs to the computer, no doubt to check facebook. "Why are you limping?" she asks Reese, concerned.

He smirks. "Didn't know you cared so much about my well-being, Detective," he says lightly. "But in answer to your question, I _might _have let Taylor flip me one too many times."

"You taught him-wait, he could do that?"

"He's stronger than you think. Of course, I was standing still, but he still managed to flip me."

Carter shakes her head. "You might as well stay for dinner, unless you have to do whatever it is illegal vigilantes do at night."

He smirks, and opens his mouth to reply, "I'm-"

Taylor cuts him off: "Mom, when are you going to ask John on a _real _date?"

Carter is speechless.

* * *

Joss is in her bathrobe, her head in John's lap as he strokes her hair. Relaxed, she asks John, "Do you have any family?"

He pauses slightly as he brushes his hand across her collarbone. "Yes. They think I'm dead though. Unless the CIA decided to inform them I'm not."

"Like, a wife?"

"No," he murmurs softly. "I have three younger sisters. My mother died a few years ago. My former fiancee is now married with a son. They all think I'm dead."

Joss can tell that he doesn't want to talk about it, but she presses him. "Tell me about your sisters."

He doesn't answer for a long while, and she starts to think he won't answer. "Denali, McKinley, Victoria," he finally says. "My father was an avid mountain climber and geologist. So his three girls were named after his favorite mountains."

"And you?" she asks quietly, unsure if he'll answer this very personal question.

"My name is John," he answers immediately.

"But not the name you were born with."

"No, I-" he freezes, as does she, at the sound of someone at her front door, playing with the lock, clearly trying to get in. She lifts her head off his lap as he stands up, seizing his handgun from his ankle holster, cocking it and removing the safety. She curses herself for only being clothed in a bathrobe, but even so, she takes up her extra weapon on the coffee table. He holds her back with a hand. As soon as the intruder opens the door, shuts it, and takes two steps forward, Reese steps out.

"Jesus _Christ_!" It's Taylor's voice, and John immediately turns on safety and ejects the bullet from the chamber. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Reese retorts, throwing the gun onto the sofa. "Aren't you supposed to be at your grandmother's?"

Taylor narrows his eyes and Reese can tell immediately he's jumping to conclusions. "Where's my mother? Why are you-" he strides forward, and while Reese attempts to hold him off, he doesn't want to strike him or otherwise hurt him in any way.

"Mother!" Taylor yells at seeing her only in her bathrobe. "Jesus Christ, nevermind, I guess I _don't _want to get my phone for tonight!"

Joss glances at the counter where they charge their phones. "It's not what you think, Taylor!"

"Of course it's not," he replies. "Whatever, you two have fun, I'm going back to Grandma's."

* * *

A week later, John picks Taylor up from school. As soon as he gets into the passenger side, he says nonchalantly, "So how long have you been sleeping with my mother?"

Reese answers tightly, "We aren't sleeping together."

"Really."

"Really, Taylor. She had just finished her shower and I...wanted to brush out her hair. That was it."

Taylor wants to press it further but doesn't want to miss the excursion Reese has planned for him. "If you say so, _Dad."_

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reading! Leave a review at the door!_


End file.
